More than a few area sports teams, on any level, were able to keep us captivated throughout 2011 with campaign-long performances that could only be deemed successes. Whether it was Chico State getting within sniffing distance of a Division II title shot — in multiple sports, no less — or Butte College turning in just its fifth 10-win season in program history, the Enterprise-Record was privileged to cover some fantastic collections of individual talent coming together for the good of the group.

In no particular order, our best area teams of 2011:

Chico State men's golf

We head into the new year with the Wildcats ranked fourth in the nation by GolfStat.com and No. 5 by the Golf Coaches Association of America after Chico State began the fall portion of its schedule with four victories out of its first five events. But while recently impressive, we aren't too far removed from the beginning of 2011, when the Wildcats, led by national champion Kyle Souza, finished second in the GolfStat standings and placed seventh in the NCAA Super Regional. A scorecard error that wouldn't have benefited the Wildcats anyway — had it not been caught and admitted by the Chico State golfer who committed it in the first place — kept them from the national championship tournament. The team formed an even closer bond immediately under coach T.L. Brown, and began the fall season on fire.

Butte College football

That the Roadrunners didn't play in a single close game all season long is neat; that only one of those was a defeat is downright dominant. Butte's 10-1 record — just the fifth 10-win campaign in the school's gilded history — and Graffiti Bowl victory were the end results of a prolific scoring offense, a defense that improved with each game and a roster full of Roadrunners wishing for one more crack at eventual state champion City College of San Francisco, which provided Butte's only loss. The Roadrunners placed 11 players on the All-NorCal Conference team, including conference offensive MVP Tromaine Dennis and record-breaking quarterback Collin Ramirez.

Hamilton High volleyball

For the second straight season, the Braves were the final volleyball team standing this season that called the Northern Section home, reaching the Northern California final on the way to a 42-5 record despite playing an aggressive schedule for a school its size.

Hamilton, led by eventual Northern Section MVP Aubrey Bekendam, middle hitter Audra Jones, Evelin Barajas, the section's career assists leader, and clutch returning starter Jordan McCorkle, showed it was primed for another big season with wins against bigger programs from the area and out of the Northern Section, earning a lofty No. 2 seed for the NorCal playoffs.

On Nov. 26, Hamilton won a Northern California Division V playoff game that night in the Braves' home gym against the University-San Francisco Red Devils, for the team's second straight appearance in a NorCal final, a feat unheard of in the section.

"We had the gym packed," Hamilton coach Erin Johnson said. "The PV coach was there. Foothill, Willows, Chico State, Butte College...Coaches from all over. It was just not Hamilton that night. It was the Northern Section."

Chico State women's soccer

The Wildcats simply kept playing the role of David, upsetting one Goliath after another all the way to the NCAA Division II Final Four in Florida before falling in a thrilling penalty shootout. Chico State's women's soccer program has been solid for years, but 2011 is its crown jewel, shining with the gleam that comes with a tremendous stretch run to make the postseason and some key performances all over the pitch. Blake Lopes' rediscovery of her fine form in the midfield, Molly Downtain's crucial defensive presence, the emergence of Alyx Williams as a key forward-moving threat and Lisa Webster's goal-scoring prowess all made this club a force. Webster's last-gasp equalizing goal in the national semifinal seemed only fitting.

Paradise High football

Leading up to the season, all the talk was about who was no longer there for the Bobcats — a group of eight players who were central to the Paradise High football team's most recent successes.

Turns out that those who still remained had plenty to offer.

Paradise emerged through its tough early nonleague tests of Merced, Edison, Redwood, Pleasant Valley and Chico before rolling through its Eastern Athletic League South counterparts.

Only a late-season shootout at Shasta that ended in overtime proved to be a minor speed bump.

Paradise wouldn't be challenged again. The Bobcats took care of Chico 42-14 in an anticipated rematch in the semifinals and then romped once-beaten Foothill 40-7 in the Northern Section Division I championship that served as another coronation at Om Wraith Field.

Chico State softball

The job coach Angel Shamblin has done, taken in a vacuum, is remarkable enough, but that she hasn't needed much time to do it is particularly special. The Wildcats finished 31-19 behind the big bat of Hailey Stockman, an All-West Region first-team selection, and big-game pitching from Sam Baker. Chico State re-established itself as a force in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, making a clean entry into the NCAA Division II tournament before being bounced by UC San Diego. With 11 players set to leave, 2012 should be another test for Shamblin, and we're interested to see if she can repeat her magic.

Chico Nuts

The American Legion baseball team had its best season in its history, winning its own Father's Day tournament with dramatic wins, getting their first Area 1 title, surviving a do-over of sorts in the state tournament final and reaching the Western Regionals.

The Nuts went 41-6, but perhaps the best thing they did was not let adversity get the best of them. After winning the state title with an 11-4 victory against San Mateo on July 26, the Nuts were forced to travel back to Yountville three days later on July 29 to play Merced after the national commissioner of American Legion overturned a decision that a Merced player was ruled to have used an illegal composite bat.

All the Nuts did was turn in a workmanlike 7-0 triumph of Merced as ace right-hander Luke Barker struck out nine with six hits and one walk in a complete-game effort, throwing 116 pitches.

Barker, who went 12-1 with a 1.04 ERA and became the team's all-time leader with 23 wins, was one of many standouts on the Nuts, though. Lefty Kyle LaClaire, who was 6-0 with a 2.02 ERA, formed a 1-2 combination at the top of the staff. Tyler Wells, who was recognized as the team's outstanding offensive player, and Steven Perry led the lineup that was buoyed by several Chico area standouts such as Brandon Coborn, Zeke Colby, Kurt Laver and Brett Loughlin among others.

As coach Tom Stevens said the day the Nuts' season ended, "The California state champions, and there's only one."